This year Agritechnica includes its first working demonstration of ‘robots for farming’. Teams of students from academic institutions in Germany and the Netherlands present innovative concepts currently under development. The objective is to gauge reaction to developments that will be practically applicable to agriculture and horticulture in the future. The event takes place daily in Hall 16 right through the exhibition

Thanks to intelligent software and innovative sensor electronics, the robots shown are able to move autonomously and are programmed to carry out complex tasks such as crop plant counting, recognition of weeds or identifying crop diseases. Some of these features, with significant labour and cost saving potential for the future, are to be demonstrated live.

"Gatherings of international student groups such as these at the Agritechnica field robot demonstration have important synergies for future research and development work," says Alexander von Chappuis, project manager of the field robot event at Agritechnica. “These students have the opportunity to exchange ideas on robotic solutions for the future. At Agritechnica, the world's largest professional agricultural machinery industry meeting point, all major manufacturers are represented which provides an ideal setting for true market-driven development work,” he adds.

In addition to farmers, manufacturers of agricultural machinery are expected to take an active interest in the event that will provide important inspirational elements for future R&D programmes.